Defenders
by SpottedQuail
Summary: What if instead of cats, they were horses... (First chapter is character list, plot line is different to cope with wild horse habbits.)
1. Character Intoduction

**MeadowHerd**

Alpha Mare-

GreyMoon- A cremello Mare with delicate blue eyes and control over the whole herd

Bata Mare-

EbonyApple- A seal brown mare with no white markings

Lead Stallion-

PineMoon-A chocolate stallion with a single pale coloured snip on the end of his muzzle

Bata Lead Stallion-

RainWater- A black silver dapple with no markings whatsoever

Healing Horse-

TabbyFur- An unusual fleabitten grey mare with three small mysterious dun colored stars on her forelock

Sky Heard Horse-

IvyDapple- A small liver chestnut Brindle with a white blaze and tail Trotter-CloverHoof

Defenders-

TulipCoat- A average sized Strawberry Roan roan mare with three white socks, former PonyPet

DawnFeather- A liver chestnut leopard appaloosa mare with mystery parents and a broad snip on her face

DarkSmoke- A black stallion with a habit of doing nothing but sleeping

PoppyTrail- A black Appaloosa mare with a white blanket and muzzle and strange thin mane that sticks up like a mohawk, half herd

CloudFrog- A dark, dark brown almost black mare whose mind is always lost in thoughts,has two startling marbled blue eyes

FireMuzzle- A small chestnut stallion with puzzling white spots and a scar across one eye, Trotter- FernHoof

StarPath- A pretty black/brown mare with small white dots in the shape of the constellation sagittarius, former PonyPet

WhiteSpot- A Tall buckskin with a small white star on his forelock, Trotter- AppleHoof

Trotters-

FernHoof- A young buckskin mare, to be Defender,Teller- FireMuzzle

AppleHoof- A young grey dapple stallion,to be Defender,Teller- WhiteSpot

CloverHoof- a black brindle stallion, to be Sky Herd Horse,Teller- IvyDapple

Dams-

SorrowMane- A wise sorrel colored mare, former PonyPet, Dam of SkyColt-A sorrel colt with a pail snip and a long tail, RiverColt- A shy chestnut colt with a flaxen mane and tail

BlueLegs- A blue roan mare, Dam of WaveFilly- A really small blue roan filly Identical to BlueLegs

Walkers-

FireFlame- A Brown bossy stallion with a white stocking- lame

AppleMuzzle- A grumpy grey mare with white patches- old

DappleTail- A silver dapple stallion with one white hoof- blind

Horses Outside The Herd-

BlackNight- A Pitch black mustang,exiled from the former WinterHerd for being a traitor

Obe- A big black clydesdale stallion with a white face and underbelly- A PonyPet

TanMane- A tan coloured appaloosa stallion with a snowflake pattern, exiled from WinterHerd for attempted murder

SummerTrail- A small shetland pony mare, chose to leave

Cleff- A tall oak coloured stallion with a pale blaze, black mane and a small hoof print burned onto his left flank- A PonyPet

BlueFrost- A blue roan mare, with four white crowns


	2. Prologue

prologue

"BlueFrost" a cremello mare pricked forward her ears and whined as she gazed through narrowed eyes at the mare before her. "are you sure you want to do this."

" Yes, GreyMoon" A blue/gray mare nickered back, she flicked her tail and tossed her head. "I had all darkness to t-to think about it and. I've made up my mind" she looked around at the rest of the horses gathered around her, registering the life she was leaving behind and rested her gaze on a grey appaloosa stallion. He'd arrived at camp badly wounded after a mountain lion attack and was a former member of one of MeadowHerd's enemies WinterHerd. The rather large herd had lived in the rocky mountains until recently when they were driven out by a new band of exiles now known as RockyHerd. She blinked at him then looked back at the cremello "GreyMoon, i'm sorry but…" the appaloosa nodded encouragingly as he listened to her decision. "But, i'm leaving the herd, to-to become a traveler, along side SilverSmudge." she moved sideways until the her flank touched the grey appaloosa.

"Very well, if this is, what you want. I know I can't change your mind, but I hope you can come to your senses someday." The cremello sighed, she hated losing her horses, especially the good ones. She watched as BlueFrost backed up, and turning to face SilverSmudge, followed him out of camp at a slow trot with her blue tail held up behind her.


	3. Chapter 1

RedColt woke up to the sound of metal rubbing against wood. It was also known as the door to his stable opening, a female notail walked in, standing on two hooves as it inched its way towards the foal, it studied RedColt with egear and unfriendly eyes before grabbing, missing the first time, at the thick vine-like material that hugged his face tightly with its pail hooves and clipped a thick vine through a loop under his chin. The notail started to walk forward muttering something Red didn't understand, then proceeded to pull on the vine.

"ow,ow,ow, Stop!" pain flared in his neck causing him to toss his head and pin back his ears, this certain action received a sharp and sudden force being applied to the right side of his neck making him flinch, followed by harsh sounding words from the notail. RedColt Swayed, it had been some some seasons since he'd been dragged unwilling away from his dam, a blue roan mare, or was she grey, the memory of the wild horse was already fading from his young mind. RedColt had no choice but to follow. He hesitantly placed one hoof in front of the other as he kept pace with the notail he swished his tail around, expressing the pain in his neck and legs after being cooped up for darkness after darkness, _if it worked with other horses it should work with the notails right?_ The notail paid no attention to RedColt's spastic tail as he led him without release. He tried lots of times to relieve the pressure being constantly applied on his nose by throwing his head again and again only to be smacked by a thin stick-looking thing being held in the left hoof of the female notail, he tried dipping his head away from the pressur only to find his path blocked by the right hoof of the notail, causing him to flinch at the contact. He tried trotting ' _smack'_ He tried stopping, ' _yank.'_ He tried backing up, ' _Smack'_ and ' _yank.'_ Eventually he gave up, licking his lips he hoped that that foal move would make the notail halt, it did with horses. No such luck.

"Hello!"

RedColt reared and spun around to face the sound, pulling the notail around with him. "Hello? Wh-"

He was interrupted by yanks and multiple whips and smacks with the thin stick, he pined back his ears and started swishing his tail, he was smacked again. _What have I done!_ He backed up a step.

"So sorry to get you into trouble, i'm Obe" A black stallion stepped up to the wooden barrier.

RedColt studied him, unaware that the notail had started moving until he had to move forward to relieve the pressure, which didn't work. " Hello? Obe, i'm Red-" he hesitated, _is there any need to have colt in my name?_

"Well hi there Red, Don't worry you'll soon learn to love it here." he nickered

RedColt snorted back as he reached down to nibble on grass, he got another smack. "Dout it."

Obe pinned back his ears as RedColt approached the gate. "One rule, Im lead Stallion here."

RedColt blew into the black horse's nose, he squealed as Oby kicked out through the fence and he attempted to turn and kick the bigger horse but as soon as he tried to, the female notail yanked on the vine, hurting the ridge on his nose. "Okay fine." RedColt licked his lips in submission and waited to see what the notail would do next. He was yanked forward into a huge grassy area and the notail reached up to undo the hugging vine and started taking it off. as soon as it slacked RedColt yanked his delicate head up, took two steps backwards and broke into a gallop. "Ha ha" He squealed definitely to the notails, RedColt felt the wind in his mane and the sun on his coat for the first time in darknesses, he stopped suddenly as he approached a stick driven into the ground and entwined with thin shiny stuff "Ha... What's this?" RedColt nickered Curiously as he placed his nose on top of the shiny stuff, he gave a squeal as his coat fluffed up and he pulled back.

"Wouldn't touch that if I was you, Red." Obe walked up behind him, his shadow fell over the red roan colt. "It's lightning in a wire, but not enough to kill you." he pinned back his ears and faced RedColt. To his surprise the colt shuffled at a fast walk sideways, away from him. "You speak horse?"

"Wha- of course I speak horse." RedColt whinned. "What did you think, I was taken away by notails the moment I was born, then placed in a square box and shut out from the world more than twelve hours a darkness and only brought out to be taught how to be a horse. By a notail. How silly is that." red snorted and grazed on the grass. "My dam taught me how to be a fabulous at horse sign language." He moved two steps forward.

"I… Well then..." Obe swished his tail once, scaring away a bot fly.

RedColt gazed into the rising darkness. "My, dam.." he pricked his ears as if he was searching for something far away, over the ridge.

In fact, he was right, for far away over the ridge there lived horses...

In a meadow, tucked out of view, was a barrier made of sticks and clay by none other than horses themselves. The outline of a small brindle liver chestnut mare was clearly visible as she helped two colts fix the wall that they'd decided to try and eat, breaking some of it down purposefully. As she showed them how to hold the sticks to the remaining walls and mold them together with damp clay, the brindle mare felt a tingle in all four of her legs. She promptly collapsed to the ground in a heap. "What is it you wish to show me!" She stood up and found herself on the side of a rocky canyon. "Why have you brought me here?" she nickered nervously, the whites of her eyes started to show as she looked around, she'd never been here before, _But what is so important you picked now?_ She sniffed the ground.

"IvyDapple…" A ghostly horse swayed in the wind as it addressed her. "Your herd is in danger."

"What kind!" IvyDapple swished her tail, not knowing what else to do.

"I can not see... But I can help." the ghostly horse faded and in its place grew a red feather, straight out of the ground. _What must this mean!?_ Her vision faded in and out.

"-yDapple?"

"IvyDapple!"

She woke up. Barely aware of the colts calling her name. "I must speak with GreyMoon!" She squealed and raced off with her tail streaming. IvyDapple pinned back her ears and horses were parting like blades of grass in the wind to let her through. Not one of them questioned her nor did they question the trotter that had joined behind her, he was her trotter and training to be a SkyHerd Horse. Together they skidded to a stop in front of PineMoon, a chocolate stallion. And GreyMoon, A strange cremello mare, they led the herd and every decision was passed through them first. "Calm down IvyDapple, you too CloverHoof. I can see your clearly worked up about something but is it really this important?" GreyMoon snorted.

"Oh.." CloverHoof looked around, their little run had everyone worked up and all the horses had gathered around them to see what they had to say.

"Yes!" IvyDapple squealed with her ears pinned back briefly. "We are in danger!"

"I said calm down." GreyMoon walked up to the fretting mare. "What kind of danger?"

"I couldn't see. SkyHerd couldn't see!"

"Anyway to prevent it?" PineMoon walked up beside her. "Did SkyHerd show yo-"

"YES!" IvyDapple stomped her hooves. "They showed me a red feather."

"A red feather?" PineMoon watched as a confused look spread across GreyMoon's face.

"Yes, a red feather. It grew up out of the ground like a tree." IvyDapple neighed and pawed at the air with a black hoof.

"But what could this mean!" A grumpy old mare with patches of white hobbled forward. "Could we be facing extinction?" she pinned back her ears and the horses that surrounded her moved away. IvyDapple turned her attention to the mare. "Hold your horses AppleMuzzle, I'm sure PineMoon won't let it come to that. Right?"

"Right. Anyway let's get this over wit-" PineMoon didn't get a chance to finish his sentence before he was interrupted by one of the dams, BlueLegs. "What if it's a foal?"

"What?" GreyMoon angled her ears.

"A foal! Like, well you know, how it grew out of the ground. Maybe somewhere out there is a foal that looks like a feather and can save this herd!"

"Sorry what about the 'looks like a feather' bit?" GreyMoon's confused-face appeared again.

"Okay maybe it won't look like a feather… But I say we should look out for this foal!"

"Hmm, yes I agree." PineMoon nickered as the gathering of horses started to disperse. "I want every Defender on look out for this red-feather-foal.


	4. Chapter 2

RedColt's roan coat shone like white and orange flames in the setting darkness as he greaderly dabbed up as many of the dew drops that had formed on the grass and surrounding brush with his tongue, "This water tastes better then the water in the blue bucket." he looked up at Obe briefly then back at the grass. "Annd it smells better to." He snorted as he narrowed his eyes at the big container which held stinky green water the notail had tried to empty it, but RedColt's own health had gotten in the way when his Chestnut tail got tangled it the lightning wire. "hey Red." Obe Neighed. "hay's here." RedColt Watched inquisitively as a male notail walked up to the shiny, tangy tasting, Lightning wire on a stick things that surrounded them, Obe called it a fence, but Red liked saying the super long name he'd made up. The notail cuck huge squears of dried herbs and grass over it and into the area where RedColt and Obe where being held. RedColt followed Obe up to the notail but unlike Obe, RedColt had a plan and that plan was if the notail ever tried to grab him he would crow hop and kick out at it, hopefully teaching it a lesson never to bother him again. Obe reached out with his muzzle and let the notail rub it. RedColt backed away and stared at them, he didn't get it. How could Obe like them, they were thieves and abusers who sucked at horse sign language. "OBE!" RedColt squealed a warning as the notail opened the gate, or opened the opening in the shiney, tangy tasting, lightning wire on a stick that surrounded them.

"Stop panicking, i'll be fine." Obe pinned back his ears at RedColt and turned, ears forward again, to face the male notail and to make matters worse, Oby lowered his head to help the notail put on the hugging vine.

"Run Obe." RedColt neighed and natched up a bite of hay. "I'll distract them." He pined back his ears and lowered his neck as he snaked towards the notail. Needless to say his rescue attempt was foiled by the notail itself, who shouted and lashed the thin stick, which now sported a long thin vine on the end, and caught him on the nose with it. Redcolt backed up and bobbed his head to the side.

"Serves you right." Oby flicked his tail at RedColt's muzzle as he happily went with the notail.

RedColt knew what happened next, Obe was tied harshly to this contraption and made to walk in any direction the metal in his mouth decided, otherwise he would be smacked. Red stomped a hoof, dislodging a gathering of flies from his leg as he dipped his neck to the now slightly wet hay that had gathered up some of the tasty dew drops of an un-licked patch of grass, never less RedColt started eating.

"Hello? What brings you here."

RedColt woke to the sound of voices, he heaved himself to his hooves and walked over to Obe. The tall black stallion was standing at the edge of the shiny, tangy tasting, Lightning wire on a stick things that surrounded them when he'd spotted two wild looking horses they had stopped and started a conversation with him. "you must be the wild horses that live around here..." Obe snorted, the wind blew the feathers on his hooves around, tangling them in the mud.

"Um, I believe so."A small chestnut stallion nickered back, clearly intimidated by Obe's size.

"HEY" RedColt had reached the lightning wire and entered the discussion with a sharp whinnie. "Obe told me about a herd of horses that roam these planes."

"Excuse him." Obe pinned back his ears and looked at RedColt, the colt walked backwards."he used to be a wild horse until these notails captured him and-"

"-and my dam, although I don't know where she is now but that doesn't matter." RedColt whinnied excitedly.

"Yes we are, my name is FireMuzzle and this is FernHoof, my trotter." He nuzzled the buckskin mare, she looked around RedColt's own age, old enough to be considered a mare, but still small and covered in her Foal-Fur.

"Hello, did you come from a herd?" FernHoof asked RedColt as her tail swatted away flies.

"No not really it was just me and my dam."

"So you were Travelers!" FireMuzzle snorted as he looked from RedColt to FernHoof "I see the difference."

"Hey!"RedColt pinned back his ears.

all the commotion woke Obe who had been sleeping a couple of strides away, over to have a look at what was going on. "Don't tease the colt." Obe snickered. "I'm sure he wants to know what it's like being part of a heard."

"Oh,yes. Please can I join I don't like being stuck up in this fenced off area"RedColt pricked forward his ears and and reared up a bit.

FireMuzzle watched the colt. "Maby. but i'll have to ask GreyMoon and PineMo-"

"Oh, more horses, are they part of your herd." RedColt backed away as FireMuzzle attempted to nip him for interrupting.

"Yes…" the chestnut narrowed his eyes. "As I was saying, I'll have to ask GreyMoon and Pine Moon! You can wait here until we get back." He pinned his ears and turned the mare around.

"Wait!" RedColt nickered as they started to leave. "Watch this." He backed up then cantered up to the lightning wire, his front hooves left the ground and were shortly followed by his back hooves as he sailed over the fence with ease. "Or, I could come now?" RedColt snorted and trotted up beside them. FireMuzzle looked down at red with a slight smirk. "Okay then follow us" the two wild horses turned and started to trot away.

"Wait Red!?" Obe squealed "are you sure you want to do this." the tall stallion paced. "Ple-" He was interrupted by harsh yelling and sticks waving through the air, the notails had entered the scene. "Please!" He neighed.

"once wild always wild Obe. I'll miss you though" RedColt cantered away without waiting for Obe to reply. Leaving the black stallion to the mercy of the notails, in the dust that rose up behind him.


	5. Chapter 3

"So... What's it like in a herd FernHoof." RedColt had asked that question twice now but the her mind seemed to be focused on a large brown skink basking on a very rotten looking oak log. FireMuzzle had suggested a stop in the journey and they had been grazing and inspecting this clearing for some time now."A-him?" RedColt jumped over the log and turned to face her as his shadow fell across the log chasing the skink off. "FernHoof." he nickered.

"what, oh yeah um look after the walkers and you know fight stuff and build stuff. stuff like that." The buckskin pointed her black muzzle to a barrier of sticks and clay in the distance. RedColt squinted, he could make out the shapes of horses milling about.

"Red, FernHoof." FireMuzzle called. " Let's go, hurry up, we're almost there." He speed up to a fast trot and RedColt cantered slowly beside FernHoof.

RedColt bucked and kicked playfully fand raced over to FireMuzzle his Roan coat seemed to absorb remaining lightness. "Red, wate up."FernHoof nickered "when you were a Traveler what did you do all ligh-"

"Quiet you too! there'll be time for chatting later, FernHoof go and clean the walkers nests." FireMuzzle interrupted them.

"Ok." FernHoof headed off at a trot towards a group of three horses.

"Red, I need you to follow me and i'll introduce you to GrayMoon and PineMoon"

Red followed him wearily watching the horses snicker something to each other under their breaths. "FireMuzzle! what do you think you're doing bringing a PoniePet into MeadowHerd don't you care about Rules!" A very tall buckskin stallion was trotting angrily towards them. "take it back. Take it back now!" The buckskin pinned back his ears and snaked towards RedColt. "Uhh! I'm sorry?" RedColt backed up quickly.

"WhiteSpot! Thats enough. Now is not the time for arguing." A cremello mare walked quickly towards them, her neck bowed. "FireMuzzle i've heard rumors that you've brought a… how should I say this, A PoniePet to this herd? "

FireMuzzle Lowered his head. "Greetings GreyMoon. This is Red a former Traveler who was PonieNaped by the notails and has been living with them for half a season. But he could be Red-Feather-Foal?!" He stood up tall, RedColt not knowing what to do copied him.

"Hello Red i'm GreyMoon the lead Mare." As RedColt took a step forward to greet the creamello, another horse came into his view, this one, a chocolate coloured stallion. "Welcome Red my name is PineMoon and i'm the lead stallion of MeadowHerd. FireMuzzle,GreyMoon we will discuss this matter in my pen." He flicked his tail."FernHoof!.."

The small trotter raced out of the walkers den and stopped puffing in front of him "take Red on a tour of camp don't let him leave your side." RedColt watched FireMuzzle follow the two leaders inside a cave before racing after FernHoof.

FernHoof swished her tail and nodded at a pile of apples, hay and some other fruits. "This is where we put all our good food before we eat it."

"Wait?" RedColt whinnied.

"Yes?"

"You _wait!_ To eat food."

FernHoof shook her mane. "Just the treats like hay and carrots."She walked over to a den with vines woven into walls the den was big enough for foals to fit in and out. "This is where the trotters, like me sleep and over there." She nodded towards a bigger den made from clay and sticks. "Is where the Defenders sleep."

"Defenders?" RedColt flicked an ear. _This place has everything..._

"Yes, Defenders. I can't wait to be a Defender, Red it's awesome fighting mountain lions and patrolling camp…eeee it sounds like so much fun." She turned on the spot.

"Okay, and what's a Trotter?"

"Oh, yes, a Trotter is a horse, like me. Learning to be a Defender, like me."

"Is every horse here a defender?" RedColt turned and gazed at all the horses.

"No, we have Walkers, they're too old or injured to perform the duties that a Defender could. And we have Dams with their foals."

"Wow."

"FernHoof." The cremello mare nickered.

The young Trotter turned and looked towards the sound. "Yes?"

"We're going to have to cut your tour short i'm short. FireMuzzle will give you time to show him around tomorrow." GreyMoon snorted.

"Can all horses old enough to keep up with the great eagle Gather in the meadow And hear my words." the old mare squealed as she trotted away.

"c'mon, we have three minutes to get there or we will be punished." FernHoof squealed and ran off. RedColt chased after her and stopped just in time, towering above them was a very drowsy looking piebald mare. "watch it FernHoof and...Red is it...Yes well Red wat-" she yawned "-ch out in the future."

"Red come we'll miss the beginning of the Meeting, and don't mind CloudFrog, she's very sleepy." FernHoof snickered, her black mane bounced up and down as she trotted towards the majority of the horses. RedColt had to admit it was cute the way she trotted.

"Mmk." RedColt cantered after FernHoof. They stopped and made their way to the front of the gathering herd of horses.

"As by now all of you should know we have a new arrival" PineMoon whinnied, looking around at the horses before him. "Red come forwards." RedColt nervously walked slowly up to the stallion. "Go Red you got this." FernHoof's neigh echoed from somewhere near the front " Red we understand that you would like to learn the way of a herd and in doing so, join Meadow Herd." He paused. "Is that correct."

"Yes" RedColt chewed his tongue softly.

"Then if it's the will of MoonHerd.." PineMoon Looked up, RedColt did to, he saw the moon shining as bright as ever with not a single cloud in the Darkness to be seen. "It is." PineMoon squealed The rest of the herd copied him expect from a few, RedColt had time to pick them out. The buckskin stallion he'd met when he first arrived, the piebald mare he almost ran into and a new dapple gray stallion around his age.

"Red do you promise to look defend this herd with your life…" PineMoon interrupted his thoughts.

"I do." Red nickered

"And help us when we're in times of need."

"I do."

"Then Red, I give you your Trotter name, RedHoof!"

"RedHoof, RedHoof." The herd, even the three who weren't cheering befor took up chanting his name. Red looked around, clearly surprised by the support from all the horses that he didn't know, who had cheered for him to.

"RedHoof you need a teller"GreyMoon whispered, "PoppyTrail, are you ready to teach RedHoof every thing you know?"

"Yes, GreyMoon I am."A black appaloosa walked out of the crowd and stepped forward.

GreyMoon dipped her head "You may resume your duties." The other horses started to depart.

"RedHoof meet me outside the trotter's den at the setting Darkness." PoppyTrail twitched a muscle in her shoulder and she walked off.


	6. Chapter 6

Sorry everyone, I've discontinued the story.

feel free to take it and change it or finish it


End file.
